THE Queen urged Britain and France not to weaken their strong ties with the US last night as she addressed members of the French parliament.

THE Queen urged Britain and France not to weaken their strong ties with the US last night as she addressed members of the French parliament.

At the Senate in Paris, she said membership of the European Union should not mean that friendship with the US should alter.

The Queen told Senate president Christian Poncelet and Assembly president Jean-Louis Debre that permanent membership of the UN Security Council was one of the strengths the two nations had to offer.

"We have both made the choice of Europe and the European Union as a principal vehicle for our economic and political aspirations," she said.

"For both of us this does not, nor should not, in any way weaken our strong ties of friendship to the United States. These are complementary relationships.

"More than ever we are working to make Europe's voice in the world count, and to ensure that Europe's diplomacy can be backed up by military credibility where necessary and where Nato are not engaged."

"In a dangerous world our two nations have so much to offer when we use our strengths together

."

On second day of her state visit, which marks the centenary of the Entente Cordiale agreement, the Queen also went to the Louvre museum to see paintings which will form part of a new British gallery.